Clacton MP Giles Watling gained a lot of support from drinkers when he stood up at prime minister’s questions to suggest reforming beer duty in pubs’ favour.
Giles Watling MP
“Pubs have been closing all over Britain for decades now, tearing the hearts out of communities. This terrible pandemic has made things even worse. Part of the problem is undercutting by cheap supermarket booze,” Watling said.
“Surely, now that we are out of the EU, we can do as we please with beer duty. Differentiation in favour of on-sales could deliver great benefits to pubs in communities such as Clacton, at nil cost to the taxpayer.”
The prime minister replied that the proposal was extremely good and hinted that the government was looking at just such a change in taxation.
Watling is a keen supporter of brewing and hospitality, having campaigned with the Long Live The Local group in the past.
